Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-24
OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS GREETING.

To all within the ken of our words we give greeting! To our fellow citizens and friends-to our patrons and clients-to those who have kindly feeling and wishes ill our regard-to the enemies of our per son and the foes of our project if there be unhappily any such-to everybody inside or without the pale of the great Christian dispensation, we offer our words of "Peace" our sentiments of Good Will' in the comprehensive spirit of the announcement of the Nativity. When the planet shone over Bethlehem and light came around the shepherds on the hill, the morning stars sang Peace-Peace as the measure of the Saviour's mission-Peace among men, the decree of the Godhead made human-the Peace of God which passeth ail under standing, the objective point of the mys- tery of the Atonement-And influenced blythe spirit of that Peace we repeat our greetings of Peace to our readers; and in accompaniment to the solemn religious surroundings, all the happiness and merri- ment which a well-ordered human festivity can bestow.
 Again to everyone we wish every tenn poral good of the season, every spiritual consolation that the time and the celebra- ton suggest.
 Christmas comes but once year,
 And when it comes it brings good cheer
 This is the first Christmas of the EVEN ING DEMOCRAT, but already we find in the good wishes and liberal favors of our fel- low citizens, an earnest of the good cheer that is the destined reward of honest pur- pose and jealous work We are encour- aged in our labors by the implied promise, than when another Christmas comes, we shall, with Heavens blessing, be found to have merited a continuation of good cheer, and be in position with grateful purpose to return the compliments of the season.
 Yes. "Christmas comes but once a year." The couplet is simple old coun- try one-homely in its sentiment. but holy in it's suggestiveness-"Whe it comes it brings good cheer''-the good tidings of salvation nearer to US by contemplation of the anniversary; and in relation to things of earth, the reunion of families and friends, in cheerful intercourse There are not many of the old country cheerful customs preserved on this Continent. Even in circles boosting of origin, descent, birth or name from the lands far away, there are not retained to any great degree the asso- citations of the festival. The "Yule log is forgotten-the Mistletoe challenge to
 
 memory; the "Waits'' do not make their round of carols, singing of the glad tidings of redemption-the Baron of Beef in Knightly Hall is wholly unknown; but still there is enough of observance in the matter of good cheer to make homes hap py-to bring together members of family circles and friendly associates, ,sundered fo1 the twelve months preceding; to renew ol6 loves and cement anew old friendship; te unite round the freside's laughing glow and tell of the Christmas Days past an6 gone, and dream, perhaps, that in distan places-in old scenes beyond old ocean there are gathered at the same time mem bers of the old households interchangin, with them in ideas the thoughts of lon, ago-sending over seas all the compliment of the season and breathing blessings am benisons on the exiles far away.
 Yes, Yes These are amongst the bes of good cheer of the good-cheer- -bringin Christmas days. On the banks of tn Fergus and the Foyle, the Shannon an the Suir, the Boyne and the Blackwater, tn Irish heart will outpour itself. As " write
 The Christmas light is burning bright,
 In many village pane,
 as Gerald Griffin sang; and whether b the glow of the holy candle this evening or around the multitude of tapers tha light up the symbolic crib in the villag chapel tomorrow, religion apart there will be one feeling predom inant, and this is tender memory amids